Both Palo Alto and Menlo School-Atherton can blame injuries for the slow starts of each girls soccer team. If excuses are a washout, Thursday’s nonleague match at Menlo was a definite tale of two halves. The Knights let a two-goal first-half lead slip away as the Vikings rallied in the second half to salvage a 2-2 tie.

The Vikings (1-4-1) outshot the Knights 10-1 in the second half, 14-7 for the match. The Knights (1-2-3) are without three starters, most notably high-scoring forward Jaye Boissiere, sidelined with a foot injury.

“Paly played a lot better in the second half,” Menlo coach Donoson FitzGerald said. “They were connecting their passes the way we were connecting our passes in the first half. We were off a bit in that second half.”

Palo Alto is missing a potential starter in freshman Jacey Pederson, a U.S. National Team under-15s player, who has a strained back. Also out for the Vikings was first-string goalkeeper Erin Chang.

“We have some injuries,” Paly coach Kurt Devlin said. “We have the capability of playing at a high level, but this was only the second game of the year where we have scored a goal. Hopefully, the way we played in the second half will give us some confidence, but we won’t play another match for a while.”

Menlo pressed early, appearing to score a quick goal when Lindsay Karle booted in a corner from Priya Medberry. An offsides call, however, nullified the goal.

Medberry made sure in the 12th minute, sending in a shot from the right flank, the ball getting inside the left post. Karle was credited with the assist.

A high chip by the Knights in the 16th minute became trouble for the Vikings when backup goalie Catherine Angell-Atchison couldn’t quite control the ball. Waiting to punch in the loose potato was freshman Elena Gray, the Knights ahead 2-0.

The Vikings started to get to work, ignited by Nina Kelty, whose motor never stops. Kelty was everywhere, so much so it seemed like she had a twin sister on the pitch wearing the same No. 7. Isabelle Kelsey passed to Kelty, whose one-touch shot went left of goal.

Kelty passed ahead to Heidi Moeser, whose shot attempt was cleared on a kick save by Knights goalie Julie Dressel, who played the first half.

FitzGerald inserted Kelly McConnell in goal in the second half. The Vikings turned up the pressure early with Katie Foug missing an open look shot to the right. Kelty’s chip ahead was headed by Sunny Lyu, but no finish.

Knights midfielder Amanda McFarland, who had a solid first half, suffered an injury in the 48th minute and did not return, a big loss for Menlo.

Foug’s header hit the top post and off, the ball coming straight down to McConnell. The Vikings, throwing a lot of spaghetti at the wall at that juncture, finally got some to stick in the 63rd minute. Kelty sent a ball from the left to sophomore Olivia Musil, who skied one over the head of McConnell and into goal.

Nine minutes later, Lyu was on the run on the left flank when she ripped a shot that got through a couple of bodies and into goal, tying the match.

Jamie Corley had a good look for would have been the game-winner, but her shot went to the left of goal. The Vikings had one legitimate chance for the win when Lyu was pulled down just outside the box. Lyu’s ensuing direct kick bounced into McConnell’s stomach on one hop. It was the final threat for either team.

“We came out in the second half and put on the pressure,” Lyu said. “We linked up with each other a lot better than we did in the first half.”

“We’ve used a different lineup every game,” Kelty said. “We got our rhythm going in the second half. People are learning their roles, so that is going to help us.”

The Vikings are relegated to the El Camino Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League this season — their first league match vs. Santa Clara on Jan. 2. The Knights are the defending West Bay Athletic League Foothill Division champions, commencing division play at Crystal Springs Uplands-Hillsborough on Jan. 10.

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